AP still focused on tenacious ‘D’
Warriors defense has been tough again this season
AVERILL PARK, N.Y. » They say good defense travels.
For the Averill Park girls basketball team that means both to road games and from year-to-year.
The four time defending Section II Class A champs proved it again Wednesday night in a 67-15 Suburban Council win over Ballston Spa. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday but was postponed because of a snow day in Ballston Spa.
The victory improved the War- riors to a perfect 3- 0 in Suburban Council play and 5- 0 overall.
The defensive performance against Ballston Spa lowered Averill Park’s points per game allowed to 32.8.
“That’s what we’ve built our program on since 2005,” Warriors coach Sean Organ said of the defense-first mentality. “Coming into this year we had a good core. We have four seniors led by Stephanie Jankovic. Lizzie Burridge has given us great leadership, Mallory Wood has given us great leadership and Hannah Mazzeo gives us tremendous energy when she comes onto the floor. You have four veterans who’ve been in the program for four years and other returners, it’s a good base to start off.”
Senior year has started off promisingly for Jankovic, especially after she got her college commitment to Division II Saint Anselm out of the way early. Despite dealing with a tweaked ankle, the guard was second on the Warriors in scoring with 12 points vs. Ballston Spa.
“There’s a lot of pressure because we want to go far this year,” Jankovic said. “Everyone on the team is so confident. We have four seniors this
year and we’re all taking on new roles. We’re the mentors and we’re enjoying it.”
Kelsey Wood led the team in scoring with 13 points Wednesday while Mazzeo, EmmaLee Morgan, Mallory Wood and Olivia Kelley added eight points apiece.
Six different Ballston Spa players scored led by Alison Sgambati with five points.
Several early season games have gotten out of hand quickly, like Wednes- day when the score was 44- 5 at halftime. The luxury of a certain win is nice but it also provides a challenge for Organ and assistant coach Scott Keegan to keep the intensity up for the entire contest.
“It’s been a challenge for our team the last couple sea- son to not look at the schedule and regardless of who we’re playing, give an Averill Park effort,” Organ said. “Sometimes the kids have been good with that. Other times they’re just not. It happens, it’s behind us. We’ve got a day to prepare for Albany at Albany Friday.”